[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 30, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D526-D528]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and 
General Government held a hearing on the District of Columbia. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the District of 
Columbia: Adrian M. Fenty, Mayor; Vincent Gray, Chairman, City Council; 
and Natwar M. Gandhi, Chief Financial Officer.
21ST CENTURY HIGH-PERFORMANCE PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES ACT
Committee on Education and Labor: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 
3021, 21st Century High-Performance Public School Facilities Act.
FHA HOUSING STABILIZATION AND HOMEOWNERSHIP RETENTION ACT
Committee on Financial Services: Continued markup of H.R. 5830, FHA 
Housing Stabilization and Homeownership Retention Act of 2008.
  Will continue tomorrow.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Ordered reported as amended, the 
following bills: H.R. 5916, Security Assistance and Arms Export Control 
Reform Act of 2008; and H.R. 5834, North Korean Human Rights 
Reauthorization Act of 2008.
  The Committee also favorably considered the following measures and 
adopted a motion urging the chairman to request that they be considered 
on the Suspension calendar: H.R. 3658, To amend the Foreign Service Act 
of 1980 to permit rest and recuperation travel to United States 
territories for members of the Foreign Service; 2008; H.R. 1011, 
Calling on the United States Government and the international community 
to promptly develop, fund, and implement a comprehensive regional 
strategy to protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian operations, 
contain and reduce violence, and contribute to conditions for 
sustainable peace and good governance in Chad, as well as in the wider 
region that includes the northern region of the Central African 
Republic and the Darfur region of Sudan; H. Res. 1063, Marking the 
225th anniversary of the Treaty of Paris of 1783, which ended the 
Revolutionary War with the Kingdom of Great Britain and recognized the 
independence of the United States of America, and acknowledging the 
shared values and close friendship between the peoples and governments 
of the United States and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and 
Northern Ireland; H. Res. 1109, Honoring the memory of Dith Pran by 
remembering his life's work and continuing to acknowledge and remember 
the victims of genocides that have taken place

[[Page D527]]

around the globe; H. Res. 1127, amended, Condemning the endemic 
restrictions on freedom of the press and media and public expression in 
the Middle East and the concurrent and widespread presence of anti-
Semitic material, Holocaust denial, and incitement to violence in the 
Arab media and press; H. Res. 1166, Expressing the sense of the House 
of Representatives regarding provocative and dangerous statements and 
actions taken by the Government of the Russian Federation that 
undermine the territorial integrity of the Republic of Georgia; H. Con. 
Res. 317, Condemning the Burmese regimes's undemocratic constitution 
and scheduled referendum; H. Con. Res. 318, amended, Supporting the 
goals and ideals of the International Year of Sanitation; H. Con. Res. 
332, Recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of 
Human Rights; and H. Res. 337, Honoring the Seeds of Peace for its 15th 
anniversary as an organization promoting understanding, reconciliation, 
acceptance, coexistence, and peace in the Middle East, South Asia, and 
other regions of conflict.
HOMELAND SECURITY/PREPAREDNESS MEASURES
Committee on Homeland Security: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 1333, amended, Civil Air Patrol Homeland Security Support Act of 
2007; H.R. 4183, National Urban Search and Rescue Response System Act 
of 2007; and H.R. 5890, amended, Citizen and Community Preparedness Act 
of 2008.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 
4279, amended, Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual 
Property Act of 2007; H.R. 5690, amended, To exempt the African 
National Congress from treatment as a terrorist organization for 
certain acts or events, provide relief for certain members of the 
African National Congress regarding admissibility, and for other 
purposes; H.R. 1650, amended, Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act of 
2007; and H.R. 5593, Congressional Review Act Improvement Act.
  The committee also began markup of H.R. 4044, National Guard and 
Reservists Debt Relief Act of 2008.
VISA BACKLOGS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, 
Refugees, Border Security, and International Law held a hearing on 
Wasted Visas, Growing Backlogs. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department 
of Homeland Security: Michael Aytes, Acting Deputy Director; and Donald 
Neufeld, Acting Associate Director, Domestic Operations; and the 
following officials of the Department of State: Stephen A. Edson, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Visa Service; and Charles Oppenheim, Chief, 
Visa Control and Reporting Division.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 3323, amended, Goleta Water Distribution System Conveyance Act of 
2007; H.R. 2649, amended, To make amendments to the Reclamation 
Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992; H.R. 4841, amended, 
Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians Settlement Act; H.R. 5618, amended, 
National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2008; H.R. 1464, 
amended, Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2007; H.R. 1771, amended, 
Crane Conservation Act of 2007; H.R.5540, Chesapeake Bay Gateways and 
Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act; H.R. 3667, amended, 
Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2007; 
and H.R. 3930, amended, Lesser Prairie Chicken National Habitat 
Preservation Area Act of 2007.
MISSILE DEFENSE
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on National 
Security and Foreign Affairs held a hearing on Oversight of Missile 
Defense (Part 3): Questions for Missile Defense Agency. Testimony was 
heard from LTG Henry A. Obering III, USAF, Director, Missile Defense 
Agency, Department of Defense; and public witnesses.
PROVIDING FOR MOTIONS TO SUSPEND THE RULES
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule authorizing the 
Speaker to entertain motions that the House suspend the rules at any 
time on the legislative day of May 1, 2008, relating to the following 
measures:
  (1) The bill (H.R. 5715) to ensure continued availability of access 
to the Federal student loan program for students and families.
  (2) The bill (H.R. 493) to prohibit discrimination on the basis of 
genetic information with respect to health insurance and employment.
  (3) A bill to provide for a temporary extension of programs 
authorized by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.
ELECTRONIC REFUSE
Committee on Science and Technology: Held a hearing on E-Waste: Can the 
Nation Handle Modern Refuse in the Digital Age? Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.

[[Page D528]]


SMALL BUSINESS--CREDIT CRUNCH IMPACT
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing entitled ``The Effect of 
the Credit Crunch on Small Business Access to Capital.'' Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
PRE-DISASTER MITIGATION PROGRAM
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a 
hearing on Saving Lives and Money through the Pre-disaster Mitigation 
Program. Testimony was heard from David I. Maurstad, Assistant 
Administrator and Federal Insurance Administrator Mitigation 
Directorate, FEMA, Department of Homeland Security; and public 
witnesses.
WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing on Proposals for a Water 
Resources Development Act of 2008. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Buyer and Stupak; John Paul Woodley, Jr., Assistant 
Secretary, Civil Works, Department of the Army; and public witnesses.
VETERANS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 2790, amended, To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish 
the position of Director of Physician Assistant Services within the 
office of the Under Secretary for Veterans Affairs for Health; H.R. 
3819, Veterans Emergency Care Fairness Act of 2007; H.R. 5729, amended, 
Spina Bifida Health Care Program Expansion Act; H.R. 5554, amended, 
Veterans Substance Use Disorders Prevention and Treatment Act of 2008; 
H.R. 5856, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility 
Authorization and Lease Act; H.R. 3681, amended, Veterans Benefits 
Awareness Act of 2007; H.R. 3889, amended, to amend title 38, United 
States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a 
longitudinal study of the vocational rehabilitation programs 
administered by the Secretary; H.R. 4883, amended, To amend the 
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to provide for a limitation on the 
sale, foreclosure, or seizure of property owned by a servicemember 
during the one-year period following the servicemember's period of 
military service; H.R. 4884, amended, Helping Our Veterans To Keep 
Their Homes Act of 2008; H.R. 4889, amended, The Guard and Reserves Are 
Fighting Too Act of 2008; H.R. 5664, amended, To amend title 39, United 
States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update at 
least once every six years the plans and specifications for specially 
adapted housing furnished to veterans by the Secretary; H.R. 5684, 
amended, Veterans Education Improvement Act of 2008; H.R. 5826, 
Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2008; and H.R. 
5892, To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to ensure the accurate and timely delivery of 
compensation to veterans and their families and survivors, and for 
other purposes.
DNI BUDGET WRAP-UP
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on the DNI Budget Wrap-up. Testimony was heard from Mike 
McConnell, Director, Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
BRIEFING--HOT SPOTS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence met in executive 
session to receive a briefing on Hot Spots. The Subcommittee was 
briefed by departmental witnesses.